Huet, Corks, White Castle, Skinnygirl, Quarts-de-Chaume — sipped & spit

BREAKING: After thirty vintages, Noel Pinguet has decided to leave Domaine Huet, the world-class producer in Vouvray. La Revue du Vin de France cites differences with the owners about the role of dry white wine in the production. [larvf.fr]

SPIT: corks
Paul Pontellier of Chateau Margaux has been so frustrated with bottles under cork that have gone bad that the esteemed estate is seeking another closure has begun tests with screwcaps. Maybe he should follow Henschke and say bonjour to Vino-Lok? Also: Ch. Margaux is “very close” to being organic. [Decanter.com]

SIPPED: mmm, brand extensions
A “real” housewife of New York, who was probably thin to start with, is launching a low-alcohol wine called “Skinnygirl.” It builds on the success of her low-calorie ready-to-drink margarita. [Drinks Business] Related, Drew Barrymore is launching a new wine called, Barrymore. And, yes, it includes a pinot grigio! [HauteLiving.com]

Don’t cryo-selection for me, Qaurts-de-Chaume
A new grand cru designation has been approved in the Loire for sweet wines. Yet conflict has shaken the nobly rotten zone as one producer has sued to stop the process at the eleventh hour over “cryo-selection.” [NYTimes.com]

SIPPED: An insight into why White Castle is testing wine: “The burgers cost $2.49, the wine $18.” [WSJ.com]

SIPPED: R&R
Was on break much of the week with family…Back in full next week!

5 Responses to “Huet, Corks, White Castle, Skinnygirl, Quarts-de-Chaume — sipped & spit”


  1. Tyler: ‘Some new grand cru designations have been approved in the Loire for sweet wines.’

    Only one grand cru designation has so far been approved – Quarts de Chaume in the Layon Valley of Anjou. It is now law – was approved by the French prime minister on 22nd November 2011. However, Jean and Florent Baumard (Domaine des Baumard) have mounted a legal challenge to the new act before the Conseil d’Etat (France’s Supreme Court). If they succeed the law will be annulled, if they fail the law will remain as it is.

    Whether there will be further Loire grand crus in the future may well depend upon the outcome of the Baumards’ challenge.


  2. Great shame if Noël has indeed left abruptly given his long – since 1976 – tenure at the domaine.


  3. Jim – Thanks for the prompt clarification; I have corrected it above. It will be interesting indeed to see what comes of the Baumards’ legal challenge. Also, a touch bittersweet since it may fail to give the wines a deserved form of greater recognition.

    Do you have any insight on who will be replacing Pinguet at Huet?


  4. Tyler. Yes Noël was grooming a successor, who I met briefly last May.


  5. Re: R&R

    Was that a Freudian typo?


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